In this Ted Talk by fourth grader Gwen Coffey, she explains her point of view as a kid feeling “micromanaged” by adults around her. She brings up creative points about how kids are always being told no rather than being taught how to do things safely. She says she can’t run on the playground to play tag, and she feels rushed to eat her lunch and is told to be quiet. She relates to adults who feel micromanaged by their bosses, and claims that she, as an explorative kid, feels micromanaged at school, a place she believes to be about learning to become more independent. She refers to overprotective parenting and says it doesn’t seem like the worst thing ever, but it can lead to children being more anxious and less independent. Her argument is that parents, teachers, and anyone else who works with kids should teach children thoroughly and not just dismiss their curiosity because of safety.
Gwen describes how her parents have let her just be a kid. Exploring her world safely is how she has learned to be more self-sufficient. She says she can use a drill at home and has even learned how to use a blowtorch; she didn’t just discover these things, instead her parents guided her through ways to explore safely. Overall, Gwen Coffey makes simple points to imprint on adults why children need to be able to learn and make mistakes to grow into independent human beings. The idea of letting kids just be kids is a common theme throughout her Ted Talk, which is important for adults who work with or have children to keep in the forefront of their mind when helping these kids grow!
To watch this Ted Talk, click here!
Jenna Coplon
UConn KIDS Research Assistant